Revision of Maritime ETS offers opportunities, but much still needs to be worked out

The KVNR has taken note of the proposal presented today by the European Commission for the revision of Maritime ETS. The Commission aims to strengthen incentives for the deployment of clean ship fuels and technologies to reduce emissions. According to the KVNR, the mechanism proposed by the Commission to channel ETS revenues into these goals offers clear opportunities to accelerate the maritime energy transition.

Availability and affordability of clean ship fuels recognised as essential by Brussels

The KVNR welcomes the fact that the European Commission acknowledges that scaling up cleaner ship fuels is necessary to advance the transition, and explicitly calls for ETS revenues to be used for this purpose. Brussels itself intends to reserve substantial funding for this in the coming years. Both the Commission and the KVNR emphasise that national governments should also ensure that ETS revenues flow back into the greening of the maritime sector.

Expansion of scope to smaller vessels, but with reduced administrative burden

The proposal also includes lowering the threshold to 400 GT for certain ship types. Further details on which ship types and from when are still missing. The Commission does note that administrative burdens for reporting and verification must be significantly reduced, especially for operators of smaller vessels. The exact implementation is still unknown, but ensuring practical feasibility remains a key priority for the KVNR.

No double pricing of CO₂ emissions once the IMO introduces a measure

For the Dutch maritime sector, alignment with international regulation via the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is crucial to avoid fragmentation of national and regional measures. It is positive that the Commission addresses the interaction with a potential future IMO Net‑Zero Framework. Maritime ETS will be revised once the IMO adopts a pricing mechanism. This is essential to prevent double pricing of the same CO₂ emissions, a point the KVNR has advocated for many years.

European Parliament and EU Member States must still endorse the proposal

It is now a matter of awaiting further elaboration to properly assess the impact on the (Dutch) maritime sector. After the summer and throughout the autumn, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU (the 27 Member States) will examine the Commission’s proposal. Many amendments can be expected during these negotiations. By late 2026 or early 2027, more clarity should emerge on what Maritime ETS — and other ETS sectors — will look like in the years ahead.